South Africa hogged the limelight at the Africa Netball Cup, claiming both the women and men’s titles of the competition hailed a success at Swakopmund.
Unbeaten throughout the tournament, the women held off Uganda 65-50 to win Saturday’s final, with the men’s side outclassing Eswatini 60-39 to maintain their grip on the Africa Netball Cup.
Host nation Namibia’s Desert Jewels had to settle for fifth, despite losing only once during the competition, while Zimbabwe pipped Malawi to the bronze medal.
Zimbabwe finished third in the men’s section, where Namibia’s Camelthorn were last but can draw heart from claiming a solitary win on their continental debut.
South Africa’s Proteas assistant coach, Zanele Mdodana, has expressed relief and pride in the team’s performance.
“We knew there was a lot of pressure on us after the disappointing World Cup result against Uganda. We had to overcome that hurdle,” Mdodana says.
“We wanted to get rid of that monkey on our back and prove ourselves,” she adds.
“It was a really tough week. No match was easy and we had to adapt to each opponent’s unique style of play.
“I’m extremely proud of the way the troops handled the weeks.”
The men’s team captain, Sicelo Gamede, expressed his elation following their successful title defence.
“It wasn’t easy, but we managed to pull through. What worked for us is that we watched all the teams before we played them, studied how they play, their strengths and weakness,” says Gamede. “We are happy to have defended their title and it was a nice tournament – we enjoyed and we are glad that we won.”
For Namibia’s Jewels, who contested and lost last year’s final, the highlight of the competition was arguably their 42-41 win over eventual semi-finalists Zimbabwe in their final pool match.
The result was not enough to secure progression to the semi-finals. Nonetheless, Namibia ended the competition with another impressive win, defeating Zambia 54-46 in the fifth/six position play-off match to avenge last last year’s final defeat in Botswana.
Jewels captain Cornelia Mupenda says they would ideally have liked to finish on the podium and that she could not fault her team for effort.
“The games were really good, I feel like we pulled through for one another,” Mupenda said after beating Zambia.
Africa Netball, the continental governing body, says the event will live long in memory, not only for the exceptional skill on show but for its overall organisation.
“What an incredible tournament hosted right here in Namibia. Congratulations to all the teams for their outstanding performances and for making this a truly unforgettable championship,” Africa Netball says.
“Thank you to all the teams for a tournament filled with world-class netball, passion, and unforgettable moments. You’ve truly showcased the strength and talent of African netball.”
“A big thank you to Debmarine, World Netball, and Africa Netball for supporting the growth of netball across the continent.
“To Netball Namibia and the incredible host town Swakopmund, you made it all possible. This was a celebration of talent, teamwork, and unity across Africa,” says Africa Netball.
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